The Easy Route

The Easy Route

(Read Psalm 143:8-10)

Chris frowned as she looked at the stack of church bulletins lying on the table. The youth pastor had asked the kids to choose jobs to help out at church. I should probably help rake the yard, Chris had thought, but that’s such hard work. I’ll just offer to fold bulletins instead. Now she began to fold the bulletins as fast as she could, trying not to feel guilty about getting out of raking. But she did feel guilty, especially when she saw that there still was a lot of raking to be done when she left for home.

When she got home, Chris found her little brother, Andy, in his room. Andy grinned at Chris. “I owed you a chore, remember? So I took out your trash.”

Chris scowled. “The wastebasket wasn’t even full,” she complained. “You should have asked me. I wanted you to clean out my closet.”

“Well, taking out the trash was easier,” retorted Andy.

Chris had just opened her mouth to reply when Mom walked into the room. “How did your work at church go?” she asked.

Chris swallowed hard. She realized that she felt disappointed when Andy took an easy job instead of asking what needed to be done. She felt more guilty than before. “I . . . I took an easy job instead of what I really thought I should do,” she admitted.

“We call that taking the ‘easy route,’ ” said Mom. “What did you think you really should do?”

“Rake the church yard,” murmured Chris. “I wish I had done that instead of folding bulletins.”

Mom put her arm around Chris’s shoulder. “First of all,” Mom said, “I want to be sure you realize that folding bulletins is serving God, too. But if raking the yard is what you felt God really wanted you to do, folding bulletins is not enough. Why don’t you ask Mr. Miller if you can help with both jobs next week?”

Chris nodded, feeling relieved. “OK,” she said. “Or if the raking is all done, I’ll offer to help mow the church lawn this summer.” KEC

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you try to learn what God wants you to do instead of choosing tasks you think would be easiest or what sounds like fun? Don’t seek your own way. You will find happiness not in going the “easy route” but in doing what God wants you to do.

Seek God’s Will

MEMORIZE:

“I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your law is written on my heart.” Psalm 40:8